EMBERS TO ASHES

Happy Monday!

Welcome back to the newsletter. June has been full of exciting things I can’t wait to share! Without further ado, let’s jump right in.

Life in Fire Knife

In previous newsletters, I’ve talked about Fire Knives and practice knives along with how they’re made. Have you ever wondered where you can actually get one?

Fire Knife Brands

Currently, there are really only 2 main brands/companies that sell and promote Fire Knives to the general public: The Siva Afi Company and Mauga Mu.

The Siva Afi Company

The Siva Afi Company is a Fire Knife brand focusing exclusively on manufacturing Fire Knives that suit the needs of the Fire Knife dancing community as a whole. Established in 2014 by Keenan Chung, The Siva Afi Company is likely the most well-known brand selling Fire Knives (at least in North America) and have a presence at almost every Fire Knife competition.

Aside from Fire Knives & practice knives, The Siva Afi Company also sells peripherals related to Fire Knife such as drums, necklaces, carrying bags, and other merchandise (stickers, masks, etc..). Below you can see some of their products. To check out the rest of their inventory, head to The Siva Afi Company Website.

Mauga Mu Fire Knife Club

Mauga Mu is a Samoan Fire Knife school founded by Mikaele Oloa, a 5-time world champion Fire Knife dancer. Mika is one of, if not, the most notable Fire Knife dancers in the world and is an advocate for the sport globally.

His products primarily revolve around Fire Knives, both for kids and adults, along with sound board & headpieces called “Pale” that are typically worn in performances. Below you can see some of his products. To check out the rest of his inventory, head to the Mauga Mu website.

Independent Sellers

Outside of the two brands/companies above, there are several vendors you can purchase Fire Knives from that don’t have “official” websites. Typically you would only find them through social media, Etsy, or word-of-mouth. The Fire Knives I have are from Colorado by a guy named Chris Majors. He doesn’t have an official website—only an Instagram. I found out about him through my friend Jay in Chicago.

(In my opinion) It is actually a good thing that there aren’t that many “official” vendors around because this offers opportunity for another brand to take the scene 😉. Although I don’t know how to make Fire Knives yet, I’m first establishing my brand so I can already have the market available when I begin selling Fire Knives at scale. Once I’m ready to sell, I’m going to make sure the entire experience, from purchasing to unboxing, is extremely premium and satisfying—think the “Apple” of Fire Knives.

One day the Embers brand will be recognized world-wide 🚀.

June Progress

Back in June 2023, I started a 1-year challenge where I would practice every single day for 1 year straight; currently I’m on day 390/365.

365-Day Spinning Challenge

Day 390/365. You read that right. On June 6th 2024, I completed my 365-Day spin challenge!!!! For those of you that are new here and don’t know what’s going on, I started a 1-year challenge where I would practice Siva Afi everyday. To say this road has been long is an understatement.

I started Siva Afi all the way back in 2018, but I sucked because I never practiced. Only until last year did I realize Siva Afi would play a bigger role in my life that I began practicing everyday, consistently, no matter how much I didn’t want to. Whether it was for 5 minutes, 30 minutes, or 2 hours, any practice was considered practice. And it was really hard—at some points I would travel and not have my Fire Knife with me or I was sick in bed— regardless I made sure to spin something at some time. And it paid off. Looking back on when I first started, I’ve improved drastically in my speed, smoothness, and variety of moves. I wasn’t expecting big results in only a few days, or even in a year, but I knew that improving 1% everyday allowed me to get better in microscopic ways that compounded into something greater. That’s why I’m not stopping and my next goal is now 500 days with my ultimate goal being 1000 Days straight.

For those I’ve met and have supported me along this journey, thank you. I’m so excited to see more growth and compounding as I continue. If you want to hear more about my journey and reflection along with the 365-day compilation, check out my reflection video below. Here’s to 500 days! 🥳

Chicago Full Moon Jams

June is one of my favorite months because it’s the start of the Full Moon Jam season! For those that don’t know what FMJ is, here’s a little blurb from the official website:

The Full Moon Jams are my favorite because they’re a great way for me to demonstrate new moves and routines to the public. Usually I run into other Siva Afi dancers there like Jay (check out my vlog at Jay’s Place), so I always learn a new trick or two to add to my arsenal. It’s also just a great vibe altogether since anyone can attend and you can setup a picnic there with food, drinks, and friends. Not to mention, I get free fuel and there are dedicated photographers on the scene who are able to get some SICK photos 😎.

Be on the lookout on my YouTube channel for a vlog about the the first Jam of the year. If you missed the first one, below is the 2024 Season schedule; definitely come out if you are able to!

Summer Shows & Bookings

Aside from my 365-Day Spin Challenge, something I’m extremely proud about from this month was that I booked (and completed) my first independent private show! For some clarity, I perform with my Polynesian Dance Academy, Hōkūle’a, as a contracted dancer on a regular basis. As I’ve become more serious with Fire Knife, I’ve focused on building my own brand and business which means I need to expand and create my own clientele. I’ve done free shows outside of Hōkūle’a before (for friends/family or small events) but I had never actually gotten paid or "booked” for these gigs, so my first gig was a bachelorette party in Michigan through a booking platform called The Bash.

This was a big moment for me because it was my first step at building a sustainable business with Fire Knife which I had been working extremely hard for over the past 8 months. From the ground up I was working on building a website (check it out here), price packages, dance routines, payment processors, promotional content, and client outreach all while training, making YouTube videos, and posting general content. I’ll tell you, it’s been a GRIND. But it feels so good because it feels like it’s finally paying off. The show itself wasn’t my greatest—I messed up a lot and stuttered on my words—but it was a first step at building the business I want.

I haven’t stopped there though! In fact, I’ve booked 6 shows for the summer so far! My original goal was 3 because I wasn’t sure about my ability to actually secure bookings, so to say that I’ve exceeded my goal x2 feels amazing and gives me the confidence I need to keep going. There were (and still are) a lot of times I’ve been frustrated with booking gigs because currently I’m in a very low financial state as a result of building my own business, so I’ve felt very desperate about getting any and all gigs I can. I have to give huge credit to my girlfriend Eva because she’s helped me stay afloat in these hard times and she really helps me get out of my head. Eva if you’re reading this, thank you :)

I know that was a bit of a mouthful, it just shows how busy and crazy June has been! Summer is only getting started and I’m excited to share more of my journey next month. Stay tuned for more!

Move of the Month

Every month I post a move to educate people on the culture and vocabulary of Ailao Afi. This month’s move:

VILI KUA or Back Spin

Vili = Spin

Kua = Back

We call Vili Kua “Around-The-World” because you consistently spin the Fire Knife behind your back and to the front like an orbit. This move is another fundamental move in Siva Afi due to it’s ability to transition into other moves and demonstration of speed. Every Fire Knife dancer should master this move.

That’s all I have for you! Again, crazy stuff and accomplishments that I’m extremely proud of. All it is is consistency; 1% better everyday.

See you next month! Like always, Be What Remains.

— Embers